The Director-General of the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Godwin Iyala has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to advancing Universal Health Coverage for all residents of the state.

Dr Iyala who stated this while speaking with journalists shortly on arrival from the maiden National Summit of State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs), held from June 8 to 9, 2026, at the International Culture and Event Centre, Akure, Ondo State organised by the Forum of CEOs of SSHIAs under the theme, “Economic Realities and the Universal Health Coverage Dream: Mobilising States for a Scalable Health Insurance Future.”

He said the recently concluded summit which brought together government officials, regulatory agencies, financial institutions, development partners, policymakers and health sector stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for reducing catastrophic healthcare expenditure, strengthening collaboration and identifying sustainable health financing models,  provided the state delegation to learn new strategies for expanding health insurance coverage and improving service delivery.

Dr Iyala  said the summit also enabled participants from the state to engage and network with health insurance stakeholders from across the country with a view to strengthening the scheme in Cross River State.

The director general thanked the Cross River State Government and partners for their continued support in creating an enabling environment for health insurance to thrive, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to advancing Universal Health Coverage for all residents of the state.

He said at the end of the summit, stakeholders in a communiqué called for mandatory health insurance coverage for all residents as part of efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and reduce the burden of out-of-pocket healthcare spending across the country.

The director general said  the communiqué also identified trust deficits, weak ICT infrastructure, governance concerns, difficulties in enrolling informal sector populations, the lingering impact of COVID-19 and concerns over service quality, accountability and sustainability as key obstacles to achieving universal health coverage.

At the end of deliberations, participants agreed that state governments should strengthen their political commitment to UHC by ensuring mandatory health insurance coverage for all residents and establishing clear legal frameworks for the implementation of health insurance laws.

The summit further recommended harmonisation between federal and state health insurance schemes, stronger regulatory oversight and a mixed financing model that combines government budgetary allocations, mandatory insurance contributions and targeted subsidies for vulnerable populations. Stakeholders also urged states to ensure consistent release of counterpart and equity funds while exploring innovative financing options such as earmarked levies and Public-Private Partnerships to guarantee long-term financial sustainability.

The communiqué emphasised the need to prioritise informal sector workers, rural dwellers, women, children and persons with disabilities in coverage expansion efforts, while calling for increased investments in primary healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, essential medicines and digital health information systems. Participants commended the organisers for providing a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening state health insurance systems nationwide.

The summit which was declared open by Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa was also attended by members of the board and management of the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency, agency staff, as well as representatives of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development

The keynote address was presented by Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi
and goodwill messages delivered by key stakeholders, including the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health, Dr. Salma Ibrahim.